Pacific walruses have come ashore on the northwest coast of Alaska. The event has become an annual sign of the effects of climate change.

"There appears to be several thousand animals up there," said Andrea Medeiros. She is spokeswoman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is in Anchorage.

Images of the walruses were captured by a photographer not connected with the agency. The animals were seen near Point Lay. It is an Inupiat Eskimo village. Its location is 700 miles northwest of Anchorage and 300 miles southwest of Barrow.

Walruses have been coming to shore on the U.S. side of the Chukchi Sea in large numbers for about eight years. They also come to shore on the Russian side.

Researchers say it is likely a result of less sea ice. That is brought on by climate warming.

Walruses dive to feed on clams, sea snails and other food. The food is found on the ocean bottom. But they cannot swim forever.

Many male walruses never leave the Bering Sea. But females, especially mothers with pups, ride the edge of the sea ice. It moves north in summer. The ice moves through the Bering Strait and into the Arctic Ocean. The animals use sea ice as a platform. From the ice, they dive for food. Their pups rest on the ice.

In recent years, sea ice has receded north. Much of it now is beyond shallow continental shelf waters. The ice covers water that exceeds 2 miles deep. That is beyond the diving range of an adult walrus.

Walruses in large numbers were first spotted on the U.S. side of the Chukchi Sea in 2007. They returned in 2009. In 2011, scientists estimated 30,000 walruses along 1 kilometer of beach near Point Lay.

Last year, an estimated 35,000 walrus were photographed. They were 5 miles north of Point Lay.

The agency and two others have issued an appeal to stay away from large gatherings of walruses that come ashore. Young animals are vulnerable to stampedes. They can occur when a group gathers nearly shoulder-to-shoulder on a beach.

Stampedes can be triggered by a polar bear, human or low-flying airplane.

With this year's low summer sea ice, it is not surprising to see walruses on shore. They are looking for a place to rest. That is according to Margaret Williams of the World Wildlife Fund in Anchorage.

The sharp decline of Arctic sea ice over the last decade is leading to major changes for wildlife and communities.

"Such extreme events are a stark reminder of the urgent need to ratchet down the emissions that are warming our planet," Williams said.

Walruses are cute,I love them.Whenever i had a cheese stick, I would split it in half and put them in my mouth and pretend i was a walrus.

konnert-ace

11/20/2015 - 02:02 p.m.

Walruses come to shore and climb on ice because in the arrticle it said that walruses go in water because they eat down in the ocean but they cant swim forever.

jordane-ace

11/20/2015 - 02:03 p.m.

Walruses leave the water and come back to shore or climb on ice because the ice moves north.I know this because on paragraph seven it states that the male walruses never leave the shore but the females,especially the pups ride along the ice of the sea.The animals use sea as its platform.It says that the pups rest on the sea ice in the water.So the sun is what makes the ice move north.

aaliyahb-ace

11/20/2015 - 02:08 p.m.

I think walruses leave the water and come to shore or climb on ice because they can't swim forever.In the text it says ''but they can't swim forever. this is why they swim to the shore.

haziels-ace

11/20/2015 - 02:10 p.m.

they leave the water and come to shore because they can't swim forever I now this because in the text it said that the food is found on the ocean bottom.but they can't swim forever.

maggiec-ace

11/20/2015 - 02:11 p.m.

I think walruses leave the water because they can't live in water forever.On paragraph six it says that they cannot swim forever.Walruses come on shores because they have to feed food for their pups.I think walruses climb on ice because they have to make homes for their selves.

nathang-ace

11/20/2015 - 02:11 p.m.

Walruss leave the water and coming to shore because cilmate chage. For in the text it saids that less sea ice and the cilmate warming up.This sates why walruss coming to shore or on ice.

ariannab-ace

11/20/2015 - 02:14 p.m.

i think walruses leave the water and come to shore or clime on ice because they can't swimm forever .and they need to get some air .and they look for food on ice . and then they go back to the water.

tamurc-ace

11/20/2015 - 02:14 p.m.

Walruses leave the water and come to shore or climb on the ice because the the ice moves north in the summer. This is on paragraph #7 it said that many male walruses never leave their bering sea,but females, especially mothers with pups , ride the edge of the sea ice it moves north in the summer. Females leave the shore but males never.

gordonl-ace

11/20/2015 - 02:17 p.m.

walruses leave water because they are trying to get food for their babies.